The Life We Were Meant To Live
by CelestialTravesty
Summary: Lauren Hastings awakens to find herself in a very different world. One she has dreamed about for years.  What will she do now that she has become part of the story?
1. Chapter 1

"The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. All was well."

I slowly shut the book and wiped the few remaining tears from my eyes. It was done. After years of magic and adventure, Harry Potter was over. I couldn't believe it. It had ended exactly as I hoped it would. Harry lived, happily ever after and Voldemort was defeated. All really was well.

Well, all was well in the world of Harry Potter. My world was little less exciting. I was a college grad with no job and no prospects. My major was psychology, and unbeknownst to me at the time, there aren't many jobs you can get with that type of degree. I was living on my own in St. Louis. I had no family to speak of. That's what happens when your mom was a sixteen year old drug addict and your dad was some nobody. I was dumped at the nearest orphanage and I was never adopted. Truth be told, I never really felt like I fit in anywhere. I was an outcast in school and I never had any hobbies.

Then Harry Potter came along, and I was hooked. I couldn't get enough. I read ever book, saw every movie and even read my fair share of fanfiction. My favorite stories were the ones where James and Lily survived. That was the only part of the true story I had a problem with. Knowing what it was like to live alone and unloved, I wanted the opposite for little Harry. It just wasn't fair for him to grow up like that and then suffer through seven years of added torture by Voldemort and his minions. That particular topic was on my mind as I drifted off to sleep, not knowing my life was about to change drastically the next morning.

"_Ugh, I've got to wash these sheets, they're so dirty_." I slowly swung my feet over the side of the bed, but instead of my soft apartment carpet, my feet hit cold hard wood. My eyes shot open and I took in the sight in front of me. I was no longer in my third floor loft apartment in downtown. I was in some muggy, dusty old room apparently next to some ridiculously loud train tracks. I immediately panicked. Where the hell was I? I got up and looked for the door. I walked into the hall to find that I was in some sort of inn or hotel. Just then a woman with a large pointed hat walked by, broom sweeping behind her. I assumed she was one of the housekeepers. _"Apparently she doesn't use that floating broom enough. The state of this place is…"_

That was when I realized something in that last sentence wasn't right. I replayed it back in my mind. Floating broom? There's no way that was right. I shook my head and headed towards the stairs. I had to figure out where I was and soon. I had a job interview at 4 with an office that would likely choose someone else for the job. Story of my life. Still, I would like to at least arrive on time. I bumped into a man at the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh, excuse me, ma'am. Didn't see you there." The man couldn't have been much older than me. I turned to him and just stared for a moment. He was a bit taller than me, with brown hair and kind of a tired look to him, like he hadn't gotten much sleep in the past ten years. His appearance did bother me, though. He was so familiar. I felt like I knew who he was, but I just couldn't name him. I guess he noticed I was staring and he just smiled and turned to go up the stairs. After a couple steps, he turned to me and said, "Quick word of advice. You might want to put on some real clothes before walking around the Leaky Cauldron. Not sure Tom would approve of you traipsing around barefoot." He smiled again and was gone.

I looked down and realized I was still barefoot and in my pajamas… which happened to be a tank and a pair of shorts. My face immediately turned red. Then my mind caught up with me again. Did he just say Leaky Cauldron? I raced to my room and looked out my window. I was somewhere busy. There were people in strange cloaks walking up and down the street. Oh my God, could it be? I dug through the drawers and closet, trying to find something suitable. Luckily there was a pair of jeans and a t-shirt in the bottom drawer, and my chucks were right next to the bed, exactly where I had left them the previous night in my room. I ran back out in the hall and tried desperately to find the man I had just ran into. Thankfully, he was leaving a room down the hall.

"Excuse me, could you tell me where I am?" I tried to hide the fear in my voice, but I did a poor job. The man got a concerned look on his face.

"I just told you, you're at the Leaky Cauldron in England. Right off of Diagon Alley?" He must have noticed the horror on my face, because his features became even more concerned. "Are you alright? Do you know where you are? Who you are?"

"My name is Lauren. Lauren Hastings. I'm from St. Louis. I don't know where I am or how I got here. I just woke up in one of the rooms and… and…" Here's where I started hyperventilating.

"Don't worry, I'll help you. You've probably just had some brief memory loss. Have you taken any odd potions lately? Been experimenting with any new spells?"

Potions? Spells? This couldn't be happening. I was too shocked to respond, so I shook my head. He took my arm and started leading me to the stairs.

"Don't worry. I'll take you to someone who can help. He's the smartest wizard I know by far. He'll be able to sort it out. Oh, how rude of me. Here I am taking you to a complete stranger, and I'm still a stranger to you as well. My name is Remus. Remus Lupin."

I stared at the man again, frozen in my tracks. That's why he seemed familiar. This was Remus freaking Lupin. I shook my head back and forth for a minute, trying to regain any sanity I still had left. When that didn't work, I simply smiled up at him and then blacked out.

A/N This is a bit different from other stories I've done, but it's been sitting in my head for a while now. I know how I wanted it to start, and how I want it to end. We'll just have to get there together, won't we?


	2. Chapter 2

Suddenly, I was aware of people around me. I struggled to open my eyes, but the light above them was pretty blinding. '_Must be in a hospital. Maybe I really have gone insane.'_ I turned my head and began to blink furiously.

"Professor, I believe she's waking up."

"Remus, you have not been my student for some time. Please call me Albus."

At that voice, my eyes shot open. I found I was staring at Remus, who was sitting next to the bed I was on. He smiled at me and pointed at someone on the other side of my bed. I turned and found myself string at none other than Albus Dumbledore.

"Oh, dear God. You're Albus Dumbledore. I have gone insane."

The older man chuckled. "Well, I do not think you have gone insane. But you do have me at a disadvantage. You clearly know who I am, but I have no idea who you are."

I was too shocked to speak. He was standing right in front of me. A man who I believed to be fictional, yet always looked up to. A man I considered at times a surrogate grandfather. He was real. I then realized I probably looked like an idiot, staring at this man like he was my long lost father or something.

"Sorry, I'm trying to make sense of things. I just don't understand how this is possible. This can't be real. I just—" I shook my head and took a deep breath. Remus chuckled to himself and I shot him a glare. It's rude to laugh at someone you don't even know, fictional or real. I decided to try again.

"Okay. My name is Lauren Hastings. As unbelieveable as it may seem, I am from St. Louis, Missouri." They both looked a little lost. I realized that they probably didn't know too much about Missouri over here. "It's in the States. You know, across the pond or whatever you all say here. Anyway, I was born March 29th, 1986. I'm 21. Last night, I was sitting on my bed finishing a book that you are both in. That's why I'm so shocked right now. You are both fictional characters in the Harry Potter series."

At this, Remus began to laugh. "You mean little Prongslet? No one's written a book about little Harry yet, let alone an entire series. James and Lily would have a field day with that one." Remus kept smiling at me as he said this. He was very good looking, more so than what I had thought after reading about him. Then something he said struck a chord.

"James and Lily are alive?"

Remus suddenly got serious. "Of course they're still alive. Why the hell wouldn't they be? Why? What do you know? Are you working for –"

"Remus, calm yourself. Now Lauren, if you have information about James and Lily, I need to know about it now."

My mind was still reeling. I could do it. I could save James and Lily Potter. I could give Harry the life he deserved, instead of the one he was given. I could make it all better.

"Professor, I told you. I am from what I guess is another dimension. I have read all about you. I know everything about this world, including key facts that could bring down Voldemort. I will tell you everything you possibly need to know, but first I need to know what the date is today." Timing was everything. I had to be on my guard. Their lives were hanging in the balance.

Dumbledore seemed taken aback by me comment. "It is October 30th."

"What year? Is it 1981?"

Remus just looked more infuriated. "Of course it's bloody 1981. Get to the point!"

I tried to remain calm, but Remus' nerves and Dumbledore's intense eye contact were unnerving me quickly. "Okay, I know this is going to be hard for you to understand, but James, Lily and Harry are in danger. Godric's Hollow isn't safe anymore. You have to move them immediately."

"Woah, how the hell—" Thankfully, Dumbledore cut him off before he could yell at me further.

"Remus, please. Control your temper. Lauren, I need to know how you know this information. Are you in league with Voldemort?"

Oh, God. I didn't think about this. They're going to think I'm another Snape. "I told you, I've read all about it. You have to believe me. They're in trouble. We have to do something; otherwise they will be killed tomorrow by Voldemort. He's after them! Please, I don't care if you believe the rest of my story or not. You need to believe this." Tears were forming in my eyes. I couldn't screw this up. They had to believe me, they just had to!

"Alright. Remus, please take Lauren to my office at Hogwarts. I'm going to collect the Potters. I'll be along shortly."

"But sir, I—"

"Remus, do as I ask. We'll have time for questions later. I, for one, believe her. Regardless if you do or not, you must concede that it is better to err on the side of caution, especially now."

"Yes, sir." Remus gave him a stern nod. Then Dumbledore vanished with a quiet pop. I turned to look at Remus. He looked at me with cold uncertainty. "Come on, we have to apparate to Hogsmeade first. Then we can walk up to the castle." He didn't look pleased to be doing this. I didn't really care, though. The Potters were about to be safe.

"Just so you know, I'm not lying. And I'm not magical… at least, I don't think so, so I'll have to side-along apparate."

"You're a muggle?" Remus seemed to get a bit more unnerved. I couldn't blame him. I just warned of his best friend's murder. If I were in his shoes, I'd be just as skeptical. It showed his unending loyalty and concern for his friends. He shook his head, and then offered me his arm. "It's going to feel pretty weird, just so you know."

"Oh, I've read enough about it to have a pretty good idea of what to expect." I took his arm and we vanished.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh dear God, I'm going to hurl." I immediately fell to my knees. Reading about apparating and then actually doing it were two very, very different things. I'd never felt more nauseous.

"You okay?" Remus bent down beside me, placing a worried hand on my back as I wretched my guts out. After I stopped, he waved his wand and cleaned up the mess I had just made of the sidewalk. I just looked up at him, hoping he wasn't getting some sick pleasure out of watching me suffer. I guess he realized that his hand was still on my back, because he withdrew it like I had sent a jolt of electricity at him. His face was cold again. I had almost forgotten that he still didn't trust me. He straightened up and offered a hand to help me get up off the ground.

"We'd better get up to the castle. Dumbledore will be back soon. It won't take long to get Prongs and Lily." With that, he turned and started briskly walking up a trail. I tried to keep up, but he was pretty quick. I should make note that I had never done any kind of athletic or recreational activity every, so walking up the path was pretty much like climbing Everest for me. I wasn't fat, I just wasn't in any sort of condition. I think the term one of the workers at the orphanage used was "soft and slender." Now that I think about it, I hated that woman.

We finally reached a gate. I refrained from the urge to kneel down and kiss the flat ground that lay before us now. Remus waved his wand again and the gate opened. He walked through and turned to watch me follow. As I walked through the gate, he cracked a small smile.

"Well, I guess that answers that question."

I was confused. "What question?"

"If you're magical or not. Muggles couldn't ever get through that gate. It's one of the wards on the school to keep our secret. I guess you're a witch afterall." I could hear the skeptical tone in his voice. He still thought I was lying. I had to think of a way to make him believe me.

"What can I tell you to make you believe me? You want me to tell you about yourself? Because I know more about you than you think I do."

He laughed bitterly. "Trust me, you don't know anything."

I guess I was going to have to play hardball now. We continued to walk as I mentally sifted through all my Harry Potter knowledge to tell him something that no one else would know. Then it hit me. Of course, this would make him believe me.

"I know about your 'furry little problem.' Does that count?" I had a successful smirk on my face, but it was replaced by a look of fear as Remus turned to face me. His face looked livid. He pointed his wand at my face.

"How do you know that? No one knows that except for a select few. Who have you been talking to?" He was furious. This was not going like I had planned.

"Remus, I told you. I know a lot about you already. It's from the books I told you about. I know that you were just a little boy when that bastard Fenrir Greyback attacked you. I know that you were scared about coming to Hogwarts because of your lycanthropy. And I also know that your three best friends studied their asses off to become unregistered animagi to be with you during your transformations in the Shrieking Shack. How else could I know that unless what I'm saying is true?"

Remus looked stunned as he lowered his wand. "So you are telling the truth." He then looked ashamed. "I'm surprised that you could even agree to come with me, knowing what I am."

"Trust me Remus. I know a lot about you, which is why I know that you are about as harmless as a kitten. The whole 'burst into a werewolf once a month' isn't really that important." As I said it, I knew he wouldn't listen to me. I also knew how he acted when it came to his problem. Look at him and Tonks, it took him forever to get over it.

As I predicted, he shook his head and muttered something about being crazy and then started walking again towards the school. I decided to not let this phase me. He wouldn't get over it for a while now, so I might as well stop trying. Instead I started trying to wrap my mind around that fact that I was now a witch about to enter Hogwarts. This proved to be harder to get over than I imagined, especially when we stepped through the main doors.

"Oh my God, I can't believe I'm here right now!" I jumped up and down and squealed a bit before remembering that someone was with me. I looked over to Remus, who was now looking at me like I really was insane. "Hey, I've been dreaming about Hogwarts almost my entire life, so give me a minute to soak it in." I then started turning, taking in the entire scene around me. The moving pictures, the mysterious doorways, Mrs. Norris scampering off down a hall. I was here at last.

"Yeah, Hogwarts can do that to you. I remember my first day. I was just grateful to be accepted. This place is my home." Remus looked a bit nostalgic. Then, he started walking down one of the halls. I almost missed him and had to run to catch up. We made a few turns before arriving in front of the entrance to the Headmaster's office. It was exactly as I had pictured. Remus muttered "Lemon drops," and the statue stepped to the side. We walked up the stairs and knocked on the door.

"Enter."

Remus opened the door and stepped inside. I followed, looking down at my feet as I moved. I was suddenly very nervous. I was about to meet the Potters. This was unreal. I looked up to meet the eyes of Dumbledore, trying desperately to not make eye contact with the small family sitting to my right. I knew, no matter how hard I tried not to, I would lose it. Suddenly, a small hand hit my foot. I looked down and into brilliant green eyes. A small boy with unruly hair smiled up at me as he began to untie my shoe.

"James, get Harry. He's untying her shoe!" I couldn't help but look up at the voice I had just heard. My voice got stuck in my throat as I looked at the couple sitting there. The woman had long red hair and the same green eyes. The man had the same hair as the small boy as well. Lily and James. They were here and, most importantly, alive. Remus moved towards me and scooped up the little boy in his hands and took him over to his family. Little Harry just kept looking at me, all the while flashing me that adorable baby smile of his. I hadn't realized until then that tears were slowly falling down my face. Lily met my eyes and her face immediately turned to one of uneasiness. James was staring at me just like Remus had: cold and skeptical. Thankfully, Dumbledore spoke and saved me.

"As I was explaining to James and Lily before you arrived, we find ourselves in a most intriguing and disturbing situation. We need the truth here. Lauren, would you submit to taking some Veritaserum and answering a few questions for us?"

"Yes, I will." I would do anything to make them believe me. It was the only way to save them.


	4. Chapter 4

I never expected Veritaserum to taste so awful. I almost spit it out. How on earth did anyone else ever do this? Disgusting. I don't know what I was expecting to feel, but the feeling was non-existent. I wasn't bubbling over with the urge to tell all of my darkest secrets. I was just… me. Dumbledore looked me over and settled himself in his chair.

"Alright, now we can begin. First, what is your name?"

I wanted to test it, but as hard as I tried, I couldn't lie. The truth just flowed out of me, whether I wanted to or not. This was a weird feeling, for sure.

"Lauren Hastings."

"And Lauren, how did you come to our world?"

"I really don't know. I was sleeping in my room in St. Louis and when I woke up, I was in a room at the Leaky Cauldron."

"And how do you know of our world."

"In my world, there are these books that tell all about your life. They're set a few years after, when Harry is eleven. I have read every one. I know a lot about the magical world thanks to those books."

Albus simply smiled at me. I knew he believed me. This was more for James, Remus and Lily. They wouldn't believe me in a million years. I glanced over at them, trying to gauge their responses. Remus looked mildly shocked. I suspect he kind of believed me before this, so it didn't affect him much when he found out I was telling the truth. Lily just looked plain skeptical. I would expect nothing less from one of the cleverest witches of her time. James just looked plain gobsmacked. I knew he'd be the one to test me first.

"Okay, Lauren. If you really are telling the truth, then tell me something you read about me. Something no one else should know." James smirked. He was trying to test me. I just chuckled.

"Where to begin? You're an unregistered animagi, a stag. Your best friends are Sirius, Remus and…" I coughed. I had to be delicate with that specific bit of information. "…and Peter. You saved Severus Snape's life after a prank to send him to the Shrieking Shack went south. Is that enough?" I smiled innocently at him. His jaw fell almost to the floor.

"There's no…that's just…how did you…" He then stopped trying to form a sentence and simply shook his head. I assume he was getting his thoughts together. "Okay, how do we know you're not just pulling a lot of things out of the air? What if you're just guessing?"

I wanted to answer, but Lily beat me to it. She turned to her husband and stated simply, "That's impossible. While under the Veritaserum, if you are asked a question that you don't know the answer to, that is the answer you would give. You don't know. She is telling the truth." I smiled at her. She was everything I had imagined. If we were in any other situation, I knew we would be great friends.

Dumbledore then stood up. I looked up at the man, who had a serious look on his face now.

"Alright, enough. Can you all concede that she is telling the truth?" Everyone shook their heads. Finally, they believed me.

"Good. Now we must come to the underlying cause of this meeting. Lauren has made a claim that your lives are in danger from Voldemort. We already know this to be true, which is why you are currently in hiding. But she has made a more specific prediction. Lauren, please tell us what is supposed to happen tomorrow."

I looked down. As much as I wanted to save these wonderful people, I didn't want to give them the news. They would be so distraught. A good friend was about to be exposed for the fraud he was.

"Well, in the books that I told you about, Harry is an orphan. That is because you, James and Lily Potter are killed. Tomorrow to be exact. Voldemort will come and kill you both, but he fails to kill Harry because of Lily's sacrifice to safe him. He ends up destroying Voldemort for a time."

Everyone just stared at me for a long time. I knew why. I wouldn't want to believe that I died tomorrow either. Thankfully, that wasn't going to happen. I would make sure it doesn't.

"She can't be serious. There's no way for him to find us. We're under the Fidelus charm and only our secret keeper and you, sir, know the location."

"James, I assure you, it would be impossible for her to lie right now. She is just reciting what she has read about our world from these books. Our world could be the same, or it could be different. We have no way of knowing unless we wait for tomorrow. I decided it would be better to err on the side of caution. That is why we will be setting a trap tomorrow. We will be sending in Aurors disguised as you and your wife. If Voldemort does attack, they will be ready for him." Dumbledore turned to me with a sad look on his face.

"I suspect I already know the answer to this question, but for the sake of everyone else in the room, I will ask anyway. Lauren, who betrayed James and Lily?"

Ugh, the one question I was dreading to answer. He would ask me while I'm under Veritaserum. I sighed. They'd have to find out sooner or later.

"Peter. Peter Pettigrew sells them out to Voldemort. He probably has already done so."

At this, James and Remus shot up out of their seats and started yelling at the same time.

"She's lying!"

"There's no way! He's our friend."

"I trusted him with our lives!"

"There has to be something wrong! This isn't right!"

"Gentlemen!" Dumbledore startled us all with his stern voice. I was grateful that he made them stop. I could feel the tears running down my face. This whole situation was one I didn't want to be in. I was horrible at giving bad news. Too compassionate, my friends from the orphanage said. Dumbledore walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder. I guess he had spotted my current emotional state as well.

"I know this is hard to accept, but this girl is not lying. Please, refrain from taking out your anger on her. I believe a more suitable candidate would be the actual enemy, and his current henchman. Now, I would like to continue with my plan. If Voldemort does attack tomorrow night, we will know for sure that she is 100% accurate. For now, Lauren, you need to stay close by. In fact, I would prefer if all of you stay at the castle tonight." He snapped his finger and a small odd-looking creature appeared. I couldn't help but scream a bit. It was the strangest thing I'd ever seen! Then I realized what it was. A house elf!

"Yes, sir?"

"Ah yes. Could you be so kind as to collect some basic clothing for our guest here? Oh, and please prepare the Gryffindor tower. Our guests will be staying there for the evening."

"Yes, sir. Holly will be getting on that right away for you, sir." And with another snap from the elf's fingers, she vanished.

"Uh, sir? Because we are staying here for the night, could we bring over Sirius? I haven't seen him in ages, and being here means he wouldn't have to be in on the Fidelus charm." It looked like James was almost begging.

Dumbledore just chuckled. "Of course. I don't know why I didn't think of that in the first place. From my last visit, I gathered that he was missing his best friend and godson. This could brighten up the mood for a spell. I will fetch him and send him to the tower. If you three would escort Miss Hastings. I would hate for her to get lost here, even with her current knowledge of the building." With that, he stood up and walked over to the fire. He picked up some dust from a pot on the mantle, muttered "Leaky Cauldron" and then disappeared in the green flames. It was then I decided that I really did love magic. Then I remembered that I wasn't the only one in the room. I looked back at the others shyly.

"Well, Lauren. I don't know what to think. If you are right, and I hope to Merlin you're not, I will still be eternally grateful. We'll just have to wait and see." James seemed a bit uneasy. Lily was the first to stand and approach me. She extended her hand and I slowly returned the handshake.

"Lauren, I am grateful no matter what happens tomorrow. Any leg up we can get against Voldemort is welcomed. Thank you for trying to save my family." She then pulled me in for a hug. It felt oddly comforting, being hugged by a woman I had mourned for the latter part of my life. I nervously returned it as well. When we parted, Remus approached me.

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't be sure. But that doesn't excuse the fact that I was very rude to you earlier." He also extended his hand. I hesitantly took it, immediately feeling a tingly sensation in my arm as I did. Stupid hormones. I'm in the wizarding world saving the lives of three people, maybe more, and all I could think about was how I would never wash this hand again. I wasn't normally a "girly girl" that wore my emotions on my sleeve, but there was no denying that I found Remus J. Lupin to be very, very attractive. It was then I noticed that I had been shaking his hand for the better part of two minutes now. He had an odd look on his face. Probably thought I was a weirdo. Great.

James came to save the day. "Okay, we'd better head up to the common room. I want to be there when Padfoot arrives."

With that, we left Dumbledore's office and headed toward the one place I'd wanted to visit since I stepped inside the castle: Gryffindor Tower.


	5. Chapter 5

I tried to take in the scenery as we made our way towards what I assumed would be the infamous portrait of the Fat Lady. Every picture, every hallway, every statue. It was all too good to be real. I knew that I should enjoy every minute of this journey while it lasts. I had no way of knowing if I would ever get home, and honestly, I wasn't sure if I actually wanted to take that road. I knew I was falling behind the group, but there was just too much to admire. Suddenly I was interrupted by a very unappealing sound. My stomach.

"Did anyone else hear that? Sounded like a troll!" I knew James was trying to brighten everyone's spirits a bit after the heavy conversation we had just endured, but I was still a bit embarrassed. I looked down at my stomach with an evil eye, wondering why it had betrayed me.

"James, stop it." Lily lightly smacked him in the shoulder with the arm that didn't contain Harry. "Lauren, when was the last time you ate something?" I closed my eyes, trying to remember.

"Well, I think it was… yesterday morning. I had some eggs and bacon." I did remember that part. Bacon and I, we have a tight-knit relationship.

"You haven't eaten anything in over a day?" There was the mom coming out in Lily. She was exactly the person I hoped she would be. "We have to get you something to eat. You're going to fall over. Let's go to the kitchens first." At this statement, James' shoulders immediately fell.

"But Lil, come on! Sirius is probably already there! I haven't seen him in ages and—"

"I'll take her to the kitchens." We all turned to face Remus. Well, not all of us. Harry was currently making faces at the portrait behind Lily's back and giggling. "Don't worry, I remember where it is. You all go meet Sirius. James is right, he's probably waiting for you all, if he hasn't already left and is hunting you down." Remus and James shared a knowing smile. "Besides, it might be best for you all to explain the situation before he meets Lauren."

"Well, I guess, but Remus, I'm trusting you to—" Lily's statement was cut short as James grabbed her by the hand and started off down the hall. She gave us an apologetic look and then turned to give her husband a swift kick. I looked at Remus and we both just shrugged and smiled. He then led me down the other side of the hall.

"It's not that he doesn't like you, you know. He just hasn't seen Sirius in a really long time." I simply shrugged.

"I know, I'm not offended. Besides, you made a good point. It would probably be easiest if James explained first instead of me barging in and telling him the whole sad story. He's probably a bit more inclined to believe his best friend."

Yeah, I've got to agree. Sirius isn't known for being rational. He'd probably hex you if you told him about… about Peter." I looked up at Remus' face. It had grown solemn. I knew that I had done this to him, to all of them, and that broke my heart. But it was the only way to make sure they were safe. I placed my hand on his shoulder in hopes that it would be interpreted as a comforting gesture.

"I'm truly sorry that this had to happen. I didn't want to hurt you, any of you. And I know it's going to be hard, but I want you to be able to live… all of you. Please understand." I had tears in my eyes now. He turned to look at my face, and I tried to blink back the tears. I had nothing to cry about. It wasn't my life being threatened by a former best friend, my son who was in danger, my friend's betrayal. I waited for him to scoff and throw each one of those facts in my face. I deserved it. That's when he did something that surprised me. He pulled me into a hug. I just sat there for a second, letting the tears fall against his brown tweed jacket. He began to rub circles against my back, a comforting act that the workers at my orphanage knew calmed me down. I slowly settled down, and he released me.

"I'm sorry. You must think I'm a complete mess. Why on earth am I crying? Ugh, it's so pathetic!"

"No, it's not. You exude compassion. That is never a pathetic trait." He smiled and offered his handkerchief, which I used to dry my eyes. I went to return it, but he refused. "You probably need it more than I do right now." I laughed and slid it into my pocket. My stomach called out even louder and I was suddenly reminded of why we were here. Remus must have remembered as well, because he took my hand and led me down another hallway. We practically ran into the tapestry that I knew concealed the door to the kitchens. Before Remus could say a word, I reached over to tickle the pear, laughing at how ridiculous a statement that truly was. A door appeared in front of us and was opened. A house elf greeted us and ushered us in.

"How can Stuey be helpings you today?" I giggled a bit. That was the most adorable name for an elf! Thankfully, Remus was able to keep his composure a bit more.

"Stuey, we need some dinner, if you don't mind. She hasn't eaten in almost two days." Remus gestured towards me and the elf's little eyes, if it was possible, got even bigger.

"Miss has not eaten in two days? Stuey will get something right away! Otherwise Miss might starve!" With a faint *pop* the elf was gone and I glared across the makeshift table at Remus.

"You probably could have left out that little part. He'll probably bring back enough food for the start of term feast!" Remus just smiled.

"That's what I'm counting on. You're not the only one who hasn't eaten in a while."

Stuey didn't disappoint. I'm pretty sure I'd never had that amount of food presented to me. It was all so delicious, just how I had imagined the feasts at Hogwarts were. Finally, we finished and, after thanking Stuey for the wonderful meal, we made our way to Gryffindor tower. The Fat Lady wasn't quite what I was expecting. The movies were a little harsh in terms of her portrayal. She wasn't nearly as fat as they made her seem, and her voice was actually quite pleasant. She let us in without any trouble. I entered the common room and just marveled for a moment. Unfortunately that moment was short-lived. Remus came in right behind me and looked around, a worried expression on his face. I tried to figure out what he was so worried about, when it hit me. The common room was empty.

"Where are they? Surely they arrived already. We've been eating for a while." Remus walked to a nearby table and picked up what looked like a scrap piece of parchment. His face turned white. "What is it?"

He handed me the piece of paper. I tried to make out the messy writing, which I assumed was James'.

_Went to see Dumbledore. Come at once. Peter knows._

For a second, it didn't register with me. Then my face turned to match that of Remus'. Before I could utter the words 'We have to go,' Remus was already dragging me out of the door and sprinting back to the headmaster's office.

**A/N: First, let me apologize to those of you that have given your support for this story. The end of term was a bit more stressful than I anticipated, but the good news is I'M DONE! Now five full weeks to do nothing but chill and write. I hope you all enjoy this story as much as I'm enjoying planning it. Hopefully you won't be disappointed. Thanks again for your support, and be looking out for the next chapter right after Christmas! Much love, CT**


	6. Chapter 6

As we sprinted through various halls, I was again thankful that Remus was with me. I would have been hopelessly lost in this giant castle without him. We were both worried as we travelled, but he was much better at remaining calm than I was. My head began to race with the consequences of my actions. Sure, I had saved them from that awful future, but what future had I saddled them with? We were now in the unknown, and I feared that all the knowledge I had about their future was now useless, because it was no longer their future. Some help I was turning out to be.

Before I knew it, we were at the staircase again. There was no need for a password, as it was already open, waiting for us. We raced up the stairs and burst into the headmaster's office. I immediately looked around the room, making sure everyone was accounted for. Lily was seated in a chair in front of Dumbledore's desk, Harry sitting patiently on her lap. James was standing behind her, one hand rested on her shoulder, the other rested on the man's sitting next to her. I already knew who it would be, of course, but the shock was still there. In front of me sat Sirius Black with his head in his hands, murmuring something I couldn't quite hear. He looked much healthier than I expected him to, but I had to remind myself that he hadn't been to Azkaban for twelve years. His hair was black and wavy, about shoulder length, and he looked to be a bit taller than James, although it was hard to tell with him sitting. I couldn't get a good look at his face, but something inside told me I really didn't want to see the look on it right about now. I turn to look at Remus, only to find Professor Dumbledore had taken his place. I let out a small yelp and put my hand over my heart, making sure it was still beating.

"Finally, you have arrived." He smiled down at me, but he couldn't hide the sadness in his eyes. "I'm afraid we've had a complication. Peter is now aware that we are on to Tom's plan, and he is no doubt relaying that information as we speak."

I shook my head in disbelief. "How could this have happened? I haven't spoken about this to a single soul apart from those in this room. How could he have known?" Another man's voice spoke up, one I had yet to hear.

"It's all my fault. If I had only known…" Sirius clenched his fist and slammed it onto the corner of Dumbledore's desk. "That traitor was right above us, right in my home!" I was still confused as to what had happened. I looked around and finally found Remus. When our eyes met, he seemed just as confused as I was, but then a look of understanding washed across his facial features.

"He was there, wasn't he Professor? He was there when you went to get Sirius." The headmaster slowly nodded.

"It was my own fault, not Sirius'. I entered and told Sirius that he needed to come with me. I told him your lives were in danger and I needed his help. He began to question, and I briefly told him of Tom's plan to attack your home tomorrow. He asked me how this was possible, and I told him that James and Lily had been betrayed by Peter."

"I didn't believe it at first. Peter was our friend, has been living with me for a couple months now. He couldn't be a Death Eater. I would have noticed it somehow. Then I heard hurried footsteps above us and the sound of him apparating. Then I knew…"

"I was not aware of the fact that Sirius had a roommate, and as soon as I heard that pop, I knew exactly who it was and what they had heard. He is gone and we have no way of tracking him." At this, Professor Dumbledore shook his head in disgust. "He is no doubt telling Voldemort right now."

I shook my head in disbelief. What had I gotten us into? It was exactly as I had feared: I had saved them from their original fate, but I had no way of saving them from this new peril. I racked my brain, trying to figure out what our next option could be. Remus stepped forward and cleared his throat.

"Professor, did you mention how you knew?"

"No, thank goodness. Voldemort has not knowledge of Miss Hastings, and I would like to keep it that way for her own safety. But I have no idea what his next plan of action will be. All we know is that the Potters are, for the moment, safe. We have to clear our minds and prepare for his next action."

I didn't like this, and from the looks on everyone else's face, neither did they. No one likes operating on the defensive and with the unknown. Even Dumbledore had that clear distasteful look on his face. We were all worried, but none more than me. I was the only one who truly knew what Tom Riddle was capable of, and that made me all the more frightened.

"I think the best thing for us to do right now is to get some sleep. It is late and we could all use the rest, myself included. If you all wouldn't mind, I think the safest action is for you all to stay in Gryffindor. We will meet in the Great Hall for breakfast and discuss our next action. I will organize an emergency order meeting tomorrow afternoon and we will inform them of the situation. I will see you all in the morning."

With that, Dumbledore showed us all out of his office and we quietly made our way to Gryffindor Tower. No one spoke, and that made me uneasy. I couldn't help but feel that the feeling of despair was my fault. I just hung my head and followed the group. I wasn't tired, but I needed to be alone for a bit. We entered the common room and stood awkwardly. Thankfully, Lily took the initiative to organize sleeping arrangements.

"Well, James, Harry and I will take one room. Remus, you can share with Sirius and Lauren, I'll show you to one of the girl's dormitories." I smiled and nodded as I followed her up the staircase. She opened the door and led me into a beautiful room. It had five beds, all with canopies. Everything was the trademark red and gold, but in a more tasteful and less tacky manner than I had pictured. The beds were separated by a nightstand in-between each bed, except for where the door was. My eyes were drawn to one bed that was already turned down and had a pair of what looked like pajamas lying on top.

"Okay, Lauren. You should be set. Bathroom's the next door down from you. There should be things for you inside. If you need anything, we'll be down the other hall in the boy's side." She smiled at me and pulled me into a sudden hug. "I'm so glad you are here, Lauren, and I'm thankful for what you have done, no matter what happens." She released me and flashed me a kind smile. I knew that it didn't really make anything better, but for some unexplained reason the smile just put me at ease.

All I could do was smile back. "No problem Lily. I'm just glad I could help." I dropped her gaze and looked down at my feet, shuffling my right foot back and forth. "I just hope I haven't made things worse."

She put a hand on my shoulder, causing me to look her in the eyes again. "Don't worry, Lauren. We will face it together. I just know that you're the reason my family is safe. You've earned my trust." With that, she flashed me another smile and walked out the door. If this… whatever it is lasts, I think we could be great friends. I grabbed the pajamas and headed to the bathroom. I knew I wouldn't get a wink of good sleep tonight, but I might as well be a comfortable insomniac.

**A/N: I'm going to be honest, I'm not exactly sure I'm in love with this chapter. I know I've got some supportive readers out there (You know who you are!) If you read through this and have any suggestions, I'd be completely up to hearing them. Shoot me a PM so, if I do decide to make changes, it won't give anything away. I guess this could be considered a Beta audition, if I could be so bold as to call it that. Thanks again for your support. I just hope you're going to like where this is heading.**


	7. Chapter 7

Two hours later, I was nowhere near close to sleep. I'm a constant insomniac and the excitement or fear or whatever it was exactly I was feeling at the moment was adding to the problem. I decided to head down to the common room. I was sure there had to be a book or something to wear me out, and hopefully the fire was still going. I quietly made my way down the stairs, trying not to wake anyone. Luckily for me, the fire was going and lying on the couch in front of the fire was a book I was dying to get my hands on. I picked up the copy of Hogwarts, A History and settled down on the couch. After what seemed like hours, I was startled by the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. I looked up to find Remus walking absentmindedly down the stairs, muttering to himself. He hadn't noticed me, although I wish he had. I'm awful when it comes to making my presence known. The other person either continues to ignore me or is scared senseless. I opted for plan C: continue reading and pretend that I hadn't noticed Remus either.

He made his way over to the fire and sat on another chair, still looking at the floor and muttering away about something. I couldn't exactly hear what he was saying, but it clearly had him perplexed. His face looked weary and old, much older than he actually was. He kept wringing his hands together nervously. Another trait we had in common. I used to get in trouble for it when I was a young girl in the orphanage. It apparently wasn't "proper conduct for a lady to fidget about." I was so focused on watching him and not making a sound that I began to tune out other things around me, including the fire. It cracked once uncommonly loud and I drew in a quick breath, startled. Remus, hearing both the loud crack and the sound of another breathing, let out a short scream as he stood up and drew his wand, pointing it at the intruder… which was me.

After a moment, a look of recognition passed over his features and he lowered the wand. I just looked at him, startled as ever. Clearly he wasn't expecting company, and neither was I. He sat back down, letting out a breath he had unknowingly been holding.

"You scared me half to death, Lauren. I didn't think anyone else would be awake. What are you doing down here?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm not a very good sleeper, so I came down to find something to read." I pointed to the book lying on my lap. He came over and sat next to me on the couch, lifting the cover to see the title of the book.

"Ah, I was wondering where my copy of that went. I must have left it here when we left after our seventh year. Do you like it?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "I've read about the book so many times, but I've never actually gotten to read it because technically it doesn't really exist where I'm from. It's just as good as I thought it would be. I can see why Hermione loves it." This last statement brought forth a look of confusion over his face. "Oh, that's right, you have no idea what I'm talking about. Hermione is going to be a friend of Harry's." I smiled at the thought, but then I remembered that was the other life. Would they even meet now? "Well, at least, she was going to be. Things might be different now. I hope not, she's an amazing witch. I would hate to think that I'm the reason they're not friends." I was more speaking to myself than Remus. I looked at him and he looked even more confused than before.

"Sorry, I get carried away. I forget sometimes that you are the previous generation and you have no idea who I'm talking about half the time." He nodded, now understanding that I was referring to a person they hadn't even met yet.

"It's alright. It must be hard. I know if I found myself in your position, I would probably do the same thing." He smiled at me, and I returned it. Then we fell into a semi-awkward silence. My mind was racing, trying desperately to find something intelligent or witty to say. Thankfully, Remus spoke first.

"Are you enjoying yourself here?" I thought the question was a bit corny, but he looked sincere. And besides, I hadn't been able to come up with anything better.

"Yes. I love everything about this world. The magic, the places, the people. It's all so wonderful. I almost wouldn't care if I never went home." That last part slipped out before I could think. But now that I had said it, I had to wonder if I really would.

"You mean you wouldn't miss your family or friends or your home?"

I laughed bitterly. "Not exactly. I don't really have any of those things where I'm from. I grew up in an orphanage and I was always the odd one out. I never really fit in anywhere and people usually never took the time to notice that I was around. That was fine with me, though. People are… complicated, and I don't exactly have the best interpersonal skills in the world."

He looked at me sympathetically. Great. That wasn't what I wanted to happen. "Don't get me wrong, I love my life. I'm not suicidal or anything. I just don't really have anything waiting for me back in St. Louis. I'm a college graduate with no job, living alone. Not really something I'd want to return to, you know?"

"Yeah, I get what you mean. That's kind of what it felt like for me to come to Hogwarts. I had spent so much time at home alone, worrying about my condition and feeling rejected. When Dumbledore came to tell me I could attend, I thought I had just won the lottery. After that first year, I didn't even want to go home. I knew Hogwarts would forever be my home." He smiled and glanced around the room nostalgically.

"I just wish I could be more help while I'm here. I know I've saved them for the time being, but what else can I do? I hate feeling useless."

"Lauren, you are definitely not useless. You uncovered a plot that saved the lives of my, for lack of a better term, family. I can't think of a more important act."

"I know, I just wish I could do something more. I don't know anything else about this time period and I can't even do magic. I'm just sitting here, racking my brain trying to figure out how I can help."

"Well, that's what you have us for." He gestured to himself and then to the staircase that led to where the others were asleep. "We can teach you basically everything you need to know. We're all particularly intelligent people… well, excluding Sirius." He chuckled a bit, causing me to smile. "Besides, don't you remember what I said earlier today when we were coming up the path to Hogwarts. You wouldn't have been able to enter this place if you didn't have some magic in you. All we need to do is teach you how to use it. Here, let me show you." He reached in his pocket and took out his wand. He held it out, clearly meaning for me to take it.

I took it carefully in my hand, waiting for that feeling of warmth and magic. Unfortunately, it never came. Remus must have seen the disappointment in my eyes, because he began to chuckle softly. I just looked up at him curiously.

"Don't worry if you don't feel anything. That's actually normal. That wand is mine. It "chose me," as Ollivander would say. You should still be able to use it, but it just won't work as well for you. We should try something fairly simple just for starters. Do you know the lighting spell?"

"You mean lumos?"

"Yes, exactly. Now hold out the wand and say 'Lumos.' A light should shine from the tip of the wand."

I nervously held out the wand and muttered a weak "Lumos." Nothing happened. I looked at him in disappointment. He just smiled.

"Well, of course you're not going to cast a decent lumos if you say it like that. You have to mean it. Concentrate inside of yourself. Feel for your magical core and let it flow from you to the wand. Try again."

I closed my eyes and tried to focus. I focused on the light and pictured it flowing through my arm and into the wand. "Lumos." I opened my eyes to find a faint light coming out of the end of the wand. I had done it! I was a witch! I felt the smile spread across my face and I said "Nox" with a bit more enthusiasm and the light went out. I looked over at Remus, who had a pleased look on his face. In my excitement I practically launched myself at him and brought him in for a hug.

"I did it! I did it! I'm a witch, Remus! A real witch!" He laughed a bit and patted me on the back.

"Congratulations, Lauren. You have successfully cast your first spell."

Unfortunately after he said this, the room got really quiet. Like, awkwardly quiet. I suddenly realized that I had not let Remus go. Hell, I was basically sitting in his lap. He must have notices how awkward it was as well because he went sort of rigid. I took this as a sign to make a hasty retreat. I practically leapt off him and took a few steps back.

"Well, it's pretty late. I'd better get some sleep, or something." I quickly grabbed Hogwarts, A History, which had fallen to the floor, and made my way up the stairs. I tried not to look back, even though I could feel his eyes practically burning a hole in the back of my head as I left. Now I had no hope of falling asleep. And if I was so lucky, I knew my dreams would definitely focus around a certain werewolf.


	8. Chapter 8

The morning definitely came too quickly for me. I had ended up reading for another hour after I had finished talking with Remus. That book was just so interesting! I woke with it lying on my chest, still open to the chapter on the ghosts of Hogwarts. Unfortunately I have this awful internal clock that wakes me up consistently at 7 am. I knew I'd be the only one up, so I figured I might as well take my time getting ready. One of the elves must have come in at some point during the night, because I had a neatly folded pile of clothes waiting for me on the nightstand. I grabbed them and walked to the bathroom, finally realizing how gross I was from not showering yesterday.

Hogwarts never does anything half-way. The shower was huge. It was also a full tub and it was decorated with gold trimming. The curtain, of course, was a deep red and went all the way around. As soon as I turned it on, it was the perfect temperature. Just when I thought I couldn't love Hogwarts any more, it provided me with my dream bathroom. If I ever made it back, I would definitely be moving and redecorating. After I had finished, I reached for a towel and quickly dried myself off. I looked over at the pile of clothes, curious as to what they had brought me. It turned out to be just a simple pair of jeans and a red and gold long-sleeve shirt. There was also a black cape, which I guess was to be worn over the outfit. I would definitely have to ask Lily about that one. I threw on the jeans and shirt and turned to the mirror, only to realize that I didn't have a hair drier, straightener, or even basic makeup to wear. This was not going to be a good morning for me, considering the fact that my hair was notoriously wavy and sometimes looked more like a badly-done perm when left un-straightened.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. I pulled myself away from the dreadful image in the mirror long enough to answer it. Lily was on the other end, looking a little disheveled after just waking.

"Good morning, Lily!"

"Mhmmm, good morning." She was clearly still waking up. "I figured it would be you in here. Goodness knows that those boys won't wake up for another few hours unless I wake them. James sleeps like the dead. Did you sleep alright?"

"Yeah, I guess. I stayed up a little too late talking to Remus and reading."

"Why doesn't that surprise me? Remus and books usually go hand in hand. What did he have you read?"

I smiled. "Oh, I was already reading Hogwarts, A History before he came downstairs. It is probably the most interesting book I've ever read, and that's saying something. Too bad I wasn't able to find a spell book. That might help my current dilemma." I motioned to my hair and face. Lily looked confused, but then she realized I was talking about my hair and make-up… or lack thereof.

"Oh, I can help you with that. Come here." She grabbed my hand and brought me in front of the mirror. "Okay, what would you like done?"

"Well, I normally keep my hair straight, and I go pretty natural with my makeup. Just some basic foundation and eyeliner. You can do something different if you think it would look better. I'm not very good with this sort of thing."

She looked at me and smiled like her birthday had come early. I was the closest thing to a Barbie as she could get to. I closed my eyes as she moved her wand in a sort of circular fashion, muttering something I couldn't quite make out.

"Ah, that's better. You can look now!"

I opened my eyes and looked at the mirror, immediately shocked at how beautiful I looked. My hair was straight and had a shine to it that I could never have gotten if I had spent an hour working on it. My face was more evenly toned with a black eyeliner and mascara. I had a rosy eye shadow on and a darker red on my lips. It was all done perfectly.

"Thanks, Lily. I don't think I could ever get this to look this good no matter how long I tried." She smiled, but then something startled her and she looked to the door.

"Oh, bother. Harry's up. I'll be right back." With that, she walked out the door. I couldn't believe she just knew that. I hadn't heard anything. I guess it was just a "mom" thing. She reappeared a few minutes later toting the little boy. He was giggling and playing with her long hair.

"Ugh, he couldn't have waited ten more minutes? I was just about to take a shower. Now I'll have to wait until James gets his lazy butt out of bed."

"I can watch him while you get ready. It's really not a big deal." She smiled and handed little Harry over to me. He seemed a bit reluctant, but I flashed him a big smile and he just smiled back. This kid was just too easy to please.

"Thanks, Lauren. I appreciate it."

"No problem. I'm going to take him down to the common room. I'll see you when you're done." With that, I carried Harry down the stairs and sat on the couch, sitting the small boy next to me.

"Well, Harry, I can't begin to tell you how weird this is." I sat there, watching the small boy as he began to play with the tassels on one of the pillows. "You really are a cute kid. I can't believe the Dursley's were so mean to you. Who could resist that smile?" It was like he knew I was talking about him. He looked at me and started to giggle while crawling on my lap and tugging at my hair. "Well, little man, you don't have to worry. You'll never have to experience that as long as I have anything to say about it." With that, I picked him up and tossed him in the air a bit, causing him to laugh uncontrollably. We were so busy playing that we didn't realize when the others came downstairs.

"You really are a natural with that kid." I turned around after catching Harry for what seemed like the millionth time to see them all looking at us, smiling. It was James that had spoken. "Normally, Harry doesn't make friends so fast. Padfoot here had to basically bribe Harry for a month before he was completely comfortable around him." Sirius looked offended.

"That is most certainly untrue. Harry has loved me since the day he was put in my arms. That is godfather law. You can look it up!"

"I think we all know I'm Harry's favorite, Sirius." Remus smiled and straightened a little.

"Yeah right, Moony. I'm the cool one, you're the strict one. No child ever chooses the strict one over the cool one."

Lily just rolled her eyes. I figured this happened a lot and that I should try to end it before it turns into some silly contest between the two.

"I think we know that I'm the new favorite now. Anyway, aren't we late for breakfast?" That got them moving, thankfully. Nothing gets between men and food. I continued to hold Harry as we made our way to the Great Hall. I tried my best to remember which way I was supposed to be going, but I gave up after we hit the staircases. Everyone knows they like to change, so memorizing which ones to take probably wasn't the greatest plan.

Finally, we made it to our destination. We stood in front of a large set of wooden doors, intricately decorated with pictures and symbols that I didn't understand. James opened one side while Remus held the other. I walked in and my breath immediately caught in my throat. This was the Great Hall, enchanted ceiling and all. There were still four sets of tables, but there were no decorations to show which row belonged to what house. I wondered where we were going to sit as we walked down the center aisle. I looked up and saw Dumbledore sitting at the teacher's table with a few others. They were speaking about something pretty seriously, but they immediately fell silent as we approached and sat. I handed off Harry back to Lily and sat in-between Remus and Sirius. I tried to recognize who was at the table, but no one looked familiar. Instead, I decided to feed my growling stomach. I began to fill my plate with French toast and eggs. I wasn't disappointed either. The food was excellent. No wonder the students never complained. If only we had house elves at my old college. I was then hit with a sudden thought.

"Remus, it's the end of October. Why aren't there any students here?"

Remus looked at the others solemnly before responding. "With the war going on, most of the families are in hiding. Some students and their families were killed over the summer and they decided to close down for the year. This way, we can focus all our attention towards fighting Voldemort."

I was immediately sorry I had brought it up. The little energy that was present at the table vanished, and we finished eating in silence. I figured that the deaths had been recent and people they had all known. That would explain the pained looks on their faces when Remus shared the story. As soon as we were done, Dumbledore stood.

"I believe we should head to my office. The rest of the Order should be arriving soon and once we are all accounted for, we can begin our meeting."

**A/N: Wow, talk about an awful author. I'm so sorry these chapters are so delayed. My life has just been turned upside down for so stinking long and I'm only just now getting them updated. Don't worry, I've been writing like a madwoman, so it should be updated regularly from now on. I'll be posting 2 chapters today, just to say I'm sorry! Thanks for sticking with me. What say we finish this out, huh?**


	9. Chapter 9

"All I'm saying is that this sounds like a trap. We don't know who she is or who she may be working for. For all I know, she could be one of his little spies in an attempt to play us all. It wouldn't be the first time it's happened to this group." I could feel the magical blue eye on my, looking me over in distrust. I kept my head down, not wanting to make eye contact with anything other than my own two feet. I knew they would all be suspicious of what was happening, especially Moody. Despite this presumption, nothing could prepare me for the continued disappointment I felt because they didn't trust my story.

"Alastor, please. This is not up for discussion. Lauren has my full trust, and I urge you all to give her the same. Now, she has already given her testimony under veritaserum. The reason I have called this meeting is not to further validate her story, but to decide what we must do with this new information."

I couldn't help but smile up at Dumbledore. He believed everything I said without question, and for that I would be eternally grateful. We were currently gathered in Dumbledore's office. There really wasn't anyone I recognized at the table, apart from Moody and my friends. I'm sure I could recognize them if I had their names, but introductions didn't really seem like a priority at the time. Some were nodding in agreement with what Dumbledore had just said, while others eyed me suspiciously. I was hoping that someone would say something to break the uncomfortable silence that now hung in the air. Thankfully, someone stood up.

"Well, I for one agree with Dumbledore. He has never led us astray, and any leg up on that mad-man is a plus in our book." He motioned to the man that sat next to him, who was nodding enthusiastically. They looked eerily similar… brothers at least. Maybe even twins. I was brought out of my thoughts as he continued. "I say, if this girl can give us some insight on how to beat him, then let her speak." With that, he winked at me and sat back down. I couldn't shake the feeling that I should know who he was.

"Well said, Gideon. We know that you and your brother are in agreement, but what about the rest of you. We will put things to a vote as we always have. All those in favor of accepting Miss Hastings as a full member of the Order of the Phoenix, make it known by an uplifted hand." I couldn't watch the vote, so I returned my focus to the floor beneath my chair. I didn't want to know who believed me and who didn't. It was taking a while for them to decide. Maybe they were split. Maybe… "Ah, I see that it is unanimous. Even you, Alastor?" This caught my attention. I looked up to see everyone's hand in the air, even the reluctant Moody.

"Well, as long as we keep a good eye on here at all times, I don't see how harmful it could be. You know what I always say, Albus." I couldn't help but giggle and mutter a quiet 'Constant Vigilance!' to myself. His eye immediately shot to me, surprise clearly etched on his face.

"Sorry, it's just… you say it an awful lot." I was so embarrassed. I heard someone stifle a giggle next to me. I turned to see all three Maurauders trying to hold back their laughter. Great, that's all I need. Moody to think I'm making fun of him. I looked back at the Auror, who sat down while shooting the three men a glare with his real eye. I smiled at them and then brought my gaze across the table. They believed me, and they wanted my help. This was amazing. I focused in on the man who had voiced his support in my behalf. What did Dumbledore say his name was? It started with a G….

"Holy crap! You're Gideon and Fabian Prewitt!" I couldn't help but shout it out. It all made sense now! They were definitely Fred and George's namesakes. Unfortunately, they looked a bit surprised at my sudden outburst. I smiled shyly and slouched in my chair even further. "Sorry, didn't mean to shout. I just can't believe it took me that long to put that together. You are definitely just like Fred and George."

"Wait a tic, you know our nephews? How?"

Albus decided to take this opportunity to intercede. "Well, why don't you share your knowledge with all of us. There are no secrets amongst the order." With that, Albus sat down and I took that as my cue to stand and spill my life story. I watched everyone's faces as I explained my past and how I was so knowledgeable of their world. I'm surprised they didn't turn me in to the loony bin right then and there. After all, it was a pretty crazy story. I finished by telling them of the Potters. I knew that at least that bit was common information to the order. I would leave our current predicament in the hands of Albus. As I sat down, I took in the varying looks of disbelief. Moody's face was unreadable. The Prewitt brothers looked at me in amazement. Everyone else seemed confused. Unfortunately, they were are staring directly at me, making me very uncomfortable.

Suddenly, a hand encompassed my own and gave it a reassuring squeeze. I looked to see who it belonged to and found myself staring at Remus. He gave me a quick smile and looked from me to the people sitting next to him. I followed his gaze to see Lily, James and Sirius all giving me similar looks. In that moment I knew it didn't matter if anyone else believed my story in this room, the only four that mattered were right here sitting by me. I shot a quick smile back and turned my attention back to Albus.

"Well, regardless of whether you can wrap your minds around it, Miss Hasting's story is true. Now, that brings us to our current situation. As you know, Voldemort has named the Potter's son as a target. For that reason, James and Lily took him into hiding. However, Lauren brought to light a plot to attack the Potters due to the betrayal of one Peter Pettigrew." At this, murmuring started. Apparently Peter was still held to some esteem in the Order's circle. Albus lifted his hands and the room fell silent once more.

"Now, the attack was scheduled to happen tonight at Godric's Hollow. But as you can see, the Potters will not be at home. Now, we had originally planned to use this knowledge to our advantage. However, an error on my part has allowed Pettigrew to escape and there is no doubt that he has returned to his master to report the news. We must assume that Voldemort knows that the Potters have been transported and that we have a special guest residing with us in Hogwarts. Miss Hastings will require the utmost protection. Voldemort will undoubtedly desire to capture her and use her for information. Now, as for-"

Just as Albus was about to change topic, the fireplace behind him roared to life. Out stepped a taller man with black hair and very pale skin. As soon as he looked up I knew who it was. Severus Snape. He would be working for Dumbledore at this point because he had obviously passed information to Dumbledore concerning the Potters. Some looked startled, others (most notably the people sitting next to me) shot furious glares at the man. He simply ignored them, hastily turning his attention to Dumbledore.

"Albus, we must act quickly. It might already be too late. The Dark Lord is furious about the Potters. He is going after his next target." This didn't mean anything to me, and as I looked around, most were just as confused. Then my eyes found Lily's, who were staring at Snape and widening farther than I thought possible. She muttered three words.

"Alice and Frank."


End file.
